20/08/2026
THE FITZ PARK (Keswick) BowlIng Club’s finals weekend was a brilliant success with amazing bowls played over both Saturday and Sunday.
Blessed with sunny weather and an excellent crowd, Upper Fitz Park was a treat, and the games were played out on a surface in superb condition considering the challenging conditions the volunteer ground staff have had to contend with in recent weeks, writes Keith Richardson.
Match of the weekend was arguably the men’s green championship in which Phil Barnes led the vastly experienced Robin Phillips 19-11 at one stage and was just two shots away from claiming what would have been a first ever title.
It was not to be. Phillips won five of the last six ends to win 20-21 after the scores were level on 20-20 after 21 ends. The defeat would come as a major disappointment for Barnes, who has been a standout performer for Keswick this season in the West Cumbria League, but he is a happy, philosophical sort of player who plays his bowls with a smile on his face and will come again.
In the case of Robin Phillips this was yet another green championship title, the latest of many and one we will simply have to put down to experience. Robin is, quietly, playing some exceptional bowls, and continues to love the sport as much as ever and it is to be hoped that he does do for many more years to come. Robin is always helpful to less experienced players and always on hand to give some useful advice.
Another hotly contested match over the weekend was the men’s pairs in which Peter Tremble and Craig Phillips defeated father and son combination Dave and Ryan Brannan on an extra end 19-18. The eventual winning pair were at one point 11-16 down but the Brannans dropped six shots on an end. It transformed the match as skip Ryan fired and was off target with three successive woods.
It arguably proved the point, much talked about recently, that it is sometimes better to exercise game management, cut your losses and draw into the head to reduce the count than go all out for glory.
Results of other finals were: President’s Prize – Ryan Brannan defeated Alan Hind 19-13; over 60s - Colin Mason beat Cliff Harding 21-15; mixed pairs – Peter and Paula Rainey got the better of Phil Barnes and Sue Tremble 20-12; women’s pairs – Christine Mills and Lynn Hazell won 21-12 against Paula Rainey and Hazel Horsfield; women’s green – Karen Hind was victorious over Christine Weightman 21-5; Ladstock Cup – Peter Rainey overcame Martin Love 14-8.
FITZ PARK A and B teams made progress in the Eden Valley end of season knockout cup competition, the B side turning over Lazonby while the A team got the better of Shap.
Two rinks of four play home and away matches at the same time and the matches are decided on the aggregate (most shots) as opposed to the outcome of ends in this format of the competition, writes Keith Richardson.
The narrowest margin of victory came for the B side against Lazonby, just the solitary point. A significant factor in the outcome was a 16-9 home win for Shona Robinson, Craig Robinson and skip Keith Price. That seven-point margin mattered enormously as all other Keswick teams (at home and away) narrowly lost their matches.
At Fitz Park Jackie Grundy, Ray Patterson and Brian Robinson post 12-15 while at Lazonby, Christine Weightman, Mark Finlay and Keith Goldsmith went down 14-12 (staging a remarkable comeback after being 10-1 behind) while Duncan Stuart, Jill Preston and Keith Richardson lost on the last end 15-14 after being well ahead.
In the final analysis this meant that Fitz Park B won the aggregate 54-53 and go on to play Caldbeck in the next round.
The A team’s win over Shap was much more comfortable with three of the four rinks winning their games: Kevin Hadley, John Thompson and peter Tremble (25-6), Caroline Forsyth, Gillian Stuart and Colin Mason (20-7), Sue Tremble, Colin Jackson and Cliff Harding (19-8) while Paula Rainey, Christine Mills and Lynn Hazell drew 11-11.
The A side now play Castle Park (Penrith).
After a narrow defeat to Workington, Keswick lost 2-5 at home to Whitehaven in the West Cumbria Fours League and will probably now have to settle for third place. Kevin Hadley, Keith Richardson, Alan Hind and Dave Brannan were the sole winners (18-12) while Cliff Harding, Steve Reay, Keith Goldsmith and Robin Phillips lost 6-23 and Phil Pridmore, Peter Tremble, Craig Phillips and Phil Barnes went down 9-22.
Just two games remain in the league, both against Seaton, Workington.
Several Fitz Park teams are to take part in the Eden Valley end of season tournament at Lazonby on Sunday, August 30.
Players are also signing on for the indoor bowls league at Penrith Indoor Bowling Club and a second Fitz Park team (led by Cliff Harding) has entered the Eden Valley Indoor competition that is held on Wednesday nights in the cold months of winter. Brrrr.
Finally, Colin Mason lost in the last 16 of his men’s over 60s final at the national finals in Leamington last week. He did exceptionally well to reach the finals out of over 1,000 entries nationwide. There’s always next year!THE FITZ PARK (Keswick) BowlIng Club’s finals weekend was a brilliant success with amazing bowls played over both Saturday and Sunday.
Blessed with sunny weather and an excellent crowd, Upper Fitz Park was a treat, and the games were played out on a surface in superb condition considering the challenging conditions the volunteer ground staff have had to contend with in recent weeks, writes Keith Richardson.
Match of the weekend was arguably the men’s green championship in which Phil Barnes led the vastly experienced Robin Phillips 19-11 at one stage and was just two shots away from claiming what would have been a first ever title.
It was not to be. Phillips won five of the last six ends to win 20-21 after the scores were level on 20-20 after 21 ends. The defeat would come as a major disappointment for Barnes, who has been a standout performer for Keswick this season in the West Cumbria League, but he is a happy, philosophical sort of player who plays his bowls with a smile on his face and will come again.
In the case of Robin Phillips this was yet another green championship title, the latest of many and one we will simply have to put down to experience. Robin is, quietly, playing some exceptional bowls, and continues to love the sport as much as ever and it is to be hoped that he does do for many more years to come. Robin is always helpful to less experienced players and always on hand to give some useful advice.
Another hotly contested match over the weekend was the men’s pairs in which Peter Tremble and Craig Phillips defeated father and son combination Dave and Ryan Brannan on an extra end 19-18. The eventual winning pair were at one point 11-16 down but the Brannans dropped six shots on an end. It transformed the match as skip Ryan fired and was off target with three successive woods.
It arguably proved the point, much talked about recently, that it is sometimes better to exercise game management, cut your losses and draw into the head to reduce the count than go all out for glory.
Results of other finals were: President’s Prize – Ryan Brannan defeated Alan Hind 19-13; over 60s - Colin Mason beat Cliff Harding 21-15; mixed pairs – Peter and Paula Rainey got the better of Phil Barnes and Sue Tremble 20-12; women’s pairs – Christine Mills and Lynn Hazell won 21-12 against Paula Rainey and Hazel Horsfield; women’s green – Karen Hind was victorious over Christine Weightman 21-5; Ladstock Cup – Peter Rainey overcame Martin Love 14-8.
FITZ PARK A and B teams made progress in the Eden Valley end of season knockout cup competition, the B side turning over Lazonby while the A team got the better of Shap.
Two rinks of four play home and away matches at the same time and the matches are decided on the aggregate (most shots) as opposed to the outcome of ends in this format of the competition, writes Keith Richardson.
The narrowest margin of victory came for the B side against Lazonby, just the solitary point. A significant factor in the outcome was a 16-9 home win for Shona Robinson, Craig Robinson and skip Keith Price. That seven-point margin mattered enormously as all other Keswick teams (at home and away) narrowly lost their matches.
At Fitz Park Jackie Grundy, Ray Patterson and Brian Robinson post 12-15 while at Lazonby, Christine Weightman, Mark Finlay and Keith Goldsmith went down 14-12 (staging a remarkable comeback after being 10-1 behind) while Duncan Stuart, Jill Preston and Keith Richardson lost on the last end 15-14 after being well ahead.
In the final analysis this meant that Fitz Park B won the aggregate 54-53 and go on to play Caldbeck in the next round.
The A team’s win over Shap was much more comfortable with three of the four rinks winning their games: Kevin Hadley, John Thompson and peter Tremble (25-6), Caroline Forsyth, Gillian Stuart and Colin Mason (20-7), Sue Tremble, Colin Jackson and Cliff Harding (19-8) while Paula Rainey, Christine Mills and Lynn Hazell drew 11-11.
The A side now play Castle Park (Penrith).
After a narrow defeat to Workington, Keswick lost 2-5 at home to Whitehaven in the West Cumbria Fours League and will probably now have to settle for third place. Kevin Hadley, Keith Richardson, Alan Hind and Dave Brannan were the sole winners (18-12) while Cliff Harding, Steve Reay, Keith Goldsmith and Robin Phillips lost 6-23 and Phil Pridmore, Peter Tremble, Craig Phillips and Phil Barnes went down 9-22.
Just two games remain in the league, both against Seaton, Workington.
Several Fitz Park teams are to take part in the Eden Valley end of season tournament at Lazonby on Sunday, August 30.
Players are also signing on for the indoor bowls league at Penrith Indoor Bowling Club and a second Fitz Park team (led by Cliff Harding) has entered the Eden Valley Indoor competition that is held on Wednesday nights in the cold months of winter. Brrrr.
Finally, Colin Mason lost in the last 16 of his men’s over 60s final at the national finals in Leamington last week. He did exceptionally well to reach the finals out of over 1,000 entries nationwide. There’s always next year!
